Red Bull continued its seemingly invincible form last week in Baku, with the teams and driver’s now heading to the US for the first of 3 races in the states this season. Will it be more of the same, and another Red Bull procession, or can Ferrari build on their momentum from Baku and challenge the mighty Red Bull’s in Miami?
2023 Formula 1 Betting Tips
Azerbaijan Grand Prix Review
From first practice in Baku, it appeared as though Ferrari had found a good chunk of time, with Leclerc within 0.037s of Verstappen. Then, Leclerc showed the pace was real, going fastest in qualifying for the race, before again going fastest for the sprint race. Once the racing proper began, it was obvious that the Ferrari pace was purely one lap pace, with the Red Bull’s leading the way in the sprint, with Perez winning from Leclerc and Verstappen.
The race proper was much the same, with the Red Bull’s managing to breeze past the Ferrari of Leclerc, to waltz to another 1-2 victory, with Perez taking his second win of the season. The extra pace of the Ferrari’s makes things far more interesting in the betting markets, which we’ll get into below.
Miami Grand Prix Preview
We head to Miami for the second instalment of the Grand Prix in the Sunshine State. Last season, Ferrari appeared to be quick out of the gate, with Leclerc quickest in practice 1. He carried that form into qualifying, leading in each session of qualifying, to take Pole Position from teammate Carlos Sainz. Unfortunately for Ferrari fans, it took only 8 laps for Verstappen to take the lead, where he was never headed.
Why this is important, is it sounds remarkably similar to several races last year, and also crucially, the most recent race in Baku. If this pattern continues, and I believe it to be a good chance, then there is some value in betting on the Ferrari’s to be quick over one lap, with the Red Bull’s having the better race pace. Given this, it could be worth waiting until after qualifying to hit our Best Bet, as Verstappen’s price should be longer if Leclerc does take Pole Position.
Further down the field, I like the Williams team to get a result this weekend. Albon has been solid in qualifying, whilst not getting much luck during the races, whilst Logan Sargeant will be racing in his home country for the first time. We will splash a few props on the Williams’ drivers throughout the weekend.
Other than that, there’s not a lot that excites me. Red Bull still appear the cream of the crop, with Ferrari, Mercedes, and Aston Martin all interchangeable depending on the circuit. So, for now, our betting will be trying to pick the best of the rest each race, and a flyer on one of the mid-level teams to have a good weekend.
Other Bets
Charles Leclerc (Pole Position) – $3.75 @ Bet365 (1u)
Charles Leclerc (Fastest Practice 1) - $7.50 @ Betfair (0.5u)
Alex Albon (Top 10 Finish) - $2.62 @ Bet365 (1u)
Logan Sargeant (Top 10 Finish) - $6.00 @ NEDS (0.5u)
Max Verstappen (Race Winner)
$1.54 (3 Units)
